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RURAL LIVING SKILLS

First annual ORR expo a hit

Hundreds turn out for debut event of the new ORR Center

Marshall Helmberger
Posted 8/25/16

ORR— Need to know how to butcher a chicken, clean it, and turn it into chicken stock? Ever wonder what it’s like to live “off-grid” without a power line? Are you looking for safe, natural …

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RURAL LIVING SKILLS

First annual ORR expo a hit

Hundreds turn out for debut event of the new ORR Center

Posted

ORR— Need to know how to butcher a chicken, clean it, and turn it into chicken stock? Ever wonder what it’s like to live “off-grid” without a power line? Are you looking for safe, natural ways to clean your house and your clothes?

Hands-on answers to these questions and many more drew more than 600 people from around the state who paid to attend the first annual Homesteading and Sustainable Living Expo, held this past weekend at the ORR Center.

“It was a huge success,” said center director Wendy Purdy. “Our volunteers were excited, and our vendors were excited and want to come back next year. We are definitely doing it again.”

The event was the first chance to show off the former school, which has been transformed by the volunteers from around the area who have pitched in to further a remarkable vision. Purdy said the group’s plans call for converting the school’s former elementary and science wings to dorm facilities to serve a new residential youth camp that will house as many as 225 students and 75 staff at a time. The camp will provide young people with many recreational opportunities typical of youth camps, but will focus on sustainable living methods. Purdy, who has lived off-grid and sustainably for more than 20 years, said it’s a passion of hers and the center holds the potential to teach young people important lessons and create economic development in Orr at the same time. She said the group plans to have the camp up and running beginning in 2018.

Among the ideas Purdy is also planning to implement is aquaponics, which combines the raising of fish and produce in a closed loop system. Purdy said they plan to install the first aquaponics “pod” soon, and will initially purchase the components from a company in Colorado. “We want to start with a tried and true system,” said Purdy. She said center staff will gain experience in the process before expanding further.

Eventually, Purdy said she hopes to be producing fish and produce for local sale or for use in meals when the youth camp is operating.

Such plans are contingent, however, on getting the facility’s new biomass heating system up and running. While the group has made significant progress towards that goal, Purdy said they need additional money to pay for pumps to get the heat to the school.

She said the group is hoping to get that done before winter sets in. If not, only the basement would be heated over the winter, which will slow progress on their planned improvements elsewhere in the building.

But for now, center volunteers were reveling in the success of their first big event. Purdy said the proceeds from attendance will provide substantial seed money to help with next year’s planning for the event.

Besides hosting about 50 vendors, the event included two dozen workshops, ranging from beekeeping to rainwater collection, to raising and processing rabbits for food. Molly Olson, of Winton, was there representing the Ely Folk School, and sponsored the hands-on demonstration by Angora meat seller Mark Shermer on chicken slaughtering and processing. Olson also manned a table at the event and said she had seen a steady stream of interested people stopping by to ask questions or sign up for the folk school’s email list. “I talked to people from St. Paul, Buhl, Virginia, Gheen, and Tower,” she said, as of a little after noon on the first day of the weekend event.

Sponsors for the event included the Cook and Orr Lions Clubs, Northstar Credit Union, Lake Country Power, Carefree Living of Orr, Boise, Purdy Electric, and the Timberjay.